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Yesterday evening theMBODLG(Mass Bay OD Learning Group) reprised one of its most popular formats, the multi-track "best practices" session, titled Best Practices in Six Work Environments III. Six teams of presenters provided experience-based overviews of OD work in Internal, External, Healthcare, Biotech/Pharma, Non-Profit and Virtual environments.

I sat in on the virtual teams session, co-led by Nancy Settle-Murphy (Chrysalis) and Nina Viswanathan (Monster) and learned some new tricks to make virtual environments more engaging, improving the experience of group leaders, facilitators and participants. We also took a look at a new tool to help virtual teams succeed.

From what I heard in conversations with those attending the other five sessions, the learnings were well worth the time spent in each breakout. Many thanks to our great presenters. And thanks also to our hosts Tufts Healthcare, who provided a wonderful facility for the work. It was a great night for all who attended.

According to the Gallup organization, these are estimates of lost worker productivity due to disengagement in the US, Germany and Singapore, respectively. And the bad news is that these are not exceptions . . . similar results are found in other countries that Gallup monitors.

The key to reversing this trend, according to authors Rodd Wagner and James K. Harter, lies in improving the quality of managers expected to bring the best out of the employees with whom they've been entrusted. It's long been known that people "join companies, but quit managers" (source unknown). So the focus on managers makes good sense, as long as we don't forget the employees themselves.

One interesting aspect of the book, according to Rossi, which falls outside the steps to employee engagement, is the treatment given to compensation. The authors refer to compensation as ". . . a status-laden, envy-inspiring, politically charged monster." The authors say that "while higher pay doesn't ensure engagement, compensation disparities among peers most certainly will kill it." (And keep in mind, we are not talking here about runaway executive compensation, which has effectively stamped out any remaining pretense of meritocracy.) We're just talking about peer comparisons.

As a follow-up to Marcus Buckingham's 1999 book "First, Break All of the Rules" this is a well done sequel. The 12 elements are well stated. Consider adding this one to your reading list.

Wish We'd Said It First

Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity.